Architecture of Taj Mahal

A monument build by a husband in the memory of his deceased
wife, the Taj Mahal in Agra symbolizes timeless love. It is
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's gift to the monumental legacies
of the world.

The architecture of Taj Mahal is spellbinding, to say the
least. Constructed in 22 years by more than 20,000 workers,
the Taj can still claim to be unsurpassed in its architectural
beauty.

Such was Shah Jahan's passion to build a splendid Taj that
he called upon the world's best artisans to set things up.
The chief architects of the Taj were Ismail Afandi from Turkey
who did the hemisphere and domes, Lahore's Qazim Khan who
did the casting of the gold for the domes; Chiranji Lal of
Delhi patterned the mosaics and Persia's Amanat Khan, the
calligrapher.

History states that after the completion of the Taj, Shah
Jahan cut off the fingers of all his workers, so that they
could never construct another monument of such architectural
magnificence. Hence, it is not just the architecture of the
Taj Mahal, but also the obsession of a lover that characterizes
this monument.

Built in a walled complex, the Taj is at the end of vast
verdant gardens known as the Char Bagh. The Taj is square
in shape. Supported by four huge minarets in all the corners,
it is surmounted on a marble platform. The dome of the Taj
is about 55 meters high.

Taj Mahal's architecture consists of intricate carvings,
floral patterns, carved floral patterns, etc. The more you
get closer, you will get to see the finesse of Taj's design
and layout.

The cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie inside the
Taj Mahal in Agra. Housed in an octagonal chamber that receives
ashen light, the tombs are made of finely cut marble screens
inlaid with precious stones. Mumtaz Mahal's tomb has the 99
names of Allah carved on it.

Keeping with Mughal tradition, these memorials are just representations
of the real coffins that are housed in a simple crypt in the
basement of the Taj Mahal.

During your Rajputana Splendour tour, you will be bowled
over by the elegance and intricacy of the architecture of
Taj Mahal in Agra.